Loom let-off mechanism



W L. MAI-'FETT AND J. C. GRAY.

LOOM LET-OFF MECHANISM. APPLICATION man oc. 17. |919.

1,358,088. Patenmv. 9,1920.

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WILAIVE L. MIAFFETT ANDy Jiliil THIRD `VEG JOHN C.

`:Patented nov. e, ieee.

i Application filed Gc'tolser 17, 1919. Serial No. 331,391.

To @ZZ 107mm t may concer/n Be it known that we, lWrrimaini L. hhrrrirrand JAMES C. GRAY, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Trion, inthe county of Chattooga and State of "Georgia,J have invented certainnew and useful improvements in Loom Let-Off ll/echanism, of whichV thefollowing' is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved letofl' mechanism for looms, andcontemplates more particularly a device for usein con# nection with thewell lmown Bartlett or similar type of let-off.

In practice at the present time, certain difficulties are experiencedwith the lrnown let-off mechanisms.:` in which the warp beam cannot belet baclr without'manipulating and releasing' son eofl the mechanicalelements, and withoutthe usualfoily and soilingconsequences. Numerous'attempts have been made toovercome these disadvantages, but ineaclrinstance the mechanism produced is complicated and dependent uponthe manipulation of at least certain parts of the device. It is theprimary object of the presentinvention to produce a device the use ofwhich will permit the `warp beam to be lfrrasged and let back by anoperative without the necessity of operating` lor releasing' any of themechanical parts of kthe letfotf mecha nism.`

yAnother object of the invention is the production of a'let-otl'deviceinwhich an automatic and yieldingly'actinp clutch is provided fornormally controllingthe operation of the mechanism,` and at the sametime permit` of a reverse movement when the loom is stopped andthewarpbeam is grasped by an operative and moved the required distance.

lilith these and. other objects in view the invention further consistsin the construction and arrangement ofthe yseveral parts hereinafterdescribed and pointed out inV the appended claims.

. `In the drawings which show 'by way o illustration an embodiment ofour invention, and in which corresponding reference characters'designate similar parts,

Figure l is a viewiin sideelevation of a lctfoff mechanism asappliedto aloomg'" 4is an end elevation;

t rig. e

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view partly in elevation, onthe line 3-3 of Fips'. 2, showing' the manner in which the device isattached to the frame of the loom; Fig. e is an enlarged detailhorizontal sectional View through the clutch when engaged; and y Fig.-.is a similar detail view showing the ratchet part of the clutchdisengaged when the beam is let back.

The present invention has been primarily designed for use in connectionwith the Bartlett let-olf mechanism and comprises' ay novel clutchhaving an intermediate movable member arranged to c operate'y withmatingmembers, one of saidmating members being keyed tothe shaft; and theotherof said members being loosely mounted thereon.`

Referring to the drawings, a conventional form of Bartlettlet-offtmechanism isshown', attached to a portion of the frame lyofaloom. Brackets Qysupport and form bearings for the shaft 3 of the let odmechanism; and are secured inv any preferred manner to "the frame l ofthe loom.

The usual pawl and ratchet mechanism 4 is shown positioned on the shaft3` andis interconnected with the ,link 5. which in turn is attached tothe lay from which it receives motion. The brake or friction de- Avice 6is positioned at the top of the shaft 3, and the worm is indicated at 7.The foregoingelements form of themselves noy part ofthe presentinvention except as used" in conjunction with 'thenovel form of clutchto be presently described. Thearrangement of shaft 3 and worm` 7.permits the work beam to rotate as Vwill he understood.

Meshing'with the worm'7 is a worm `rear 8' lreyed to one end of a powertransmitting yce shaft 9.. The shaft 9 is supported in a bear ing l0formed in the bracket ll secured to the frame ofthe loom., as best shownin Fig. 3. Arms each provided ,with slotsl througlrwhich bolts lll passforV adjustably Y securing the bracket to the frame laswill beunderstood.

Upon the opposite end ofthe shaft 9 is loosely mounted' a gear-15arranged to mesh with the gear 16 carried by the usual warp beam l?. Thegear l5 is preferably detachably positioned upon the shaft 9 by` meansof agcotter pinA and washer 1S asshown. or any. other approved devicemay be used as will; he understood, The l5 is provided 12er-tend fromthe bracket ll and are on one face thereof with' one memberlQ of e theclutch mechanism novv to be described.

This clutch member 19 is in the form of aV ratchet and is arranged tonormally engage- V`2l bears against Vthe face of the gear l5 when theclutch is engaged and the, loom is operating, thereby insuring aVpositive and durable 'engagement ofthe clutch members 19 and 20. rihehub section 22 alsoserves to guide the intermediate clutch element 2l Ywhen moved upon theshaft 9 during the disand the aforesaid fixed collar27.

engagement of the clutch members 19 and 20.

The intermediate clutch element is slidably mounted upon the powertransmitting shaft 9, and Ain addition tothe clutch member 20 isalsoprovided with protruding lugs 23' forming a clutch member @Aras shown.Associated With the protruding .lugs 23 Vare other Vlugs 25 formingclutch member 26.

. The lugs25 are carried by anl annular collar 2X fixedly lreyed totheshaft 9 asbest shown in Fig. 4; -A spring 28 isinterposed between theintermediate movable clutch element 2l The spring-.is arranged tosurround the several lugs forming the clutch members 24 and 26,andnormally force the movable clutch element 21 and more particularlytheclutch member 19 thereof into engagement with the clutch member20'carried by the gear 1,5.V

ln letting back the Warp beam it will be seen that the clutch member 2Owill ride out of engagement Vwith the clutch member .19*

as shown in Fig. 5. This disengagement of the clutch does not requireanyreleasing or manipulating of the let-olf mechanism. The Warp beam isconveniently grasped by an operative at the pla-ce Where he is standingand turned back, and as a-res'ult the: operative is not compelled tosoil his handswith oil and grease, as is now the case. At present theoil and grease from an operatives hands as the resultl of manipulating'.the let-off mechanism, are often Worledrinto thematerial producedcausingreither'the material to be Wasted or reduced to an inferiorquality and value.

y rllhe construction ofthe clutch mechanism permits of a positive normalengagement duringthe operating of the loom, and its easy disengagementwhen being let back.

As a result, the invention has been found te greatly reduce the time nowlost by operatives in Walking about the Vloom when manipulating thepresent forms of let-'off mechanisms.

Various changes in the size, proportion andarrangement of the severalparts herein described may be madeivithout departing from the inventionand We do not limit ou`rselves to the exact construction set forthlfierein.y

said shaft and adapted to mesh with the gear provided on the' work beam,means for operating said transmitting means, and a clutch providedbetween the said'shaft and ti e aforesaid loosely mounted gear fortransmitting movement Vto the Werl; beam when moving inone direction',`said "clutch permitting the Work beam to be moved back when said'beam ismoved inthe opposite direction without Veifecting any change of themechanism of the loom. Y

2. ln ai let-'off mechanism for looms, th combination with avvorl1beam,of transmitting means for permitting the rotation of saidWork beam, means for operating said transmitting means for norm-allypermitting the aforesaid rotation of the Work beam, and means forautomatically 'disen gaging the aforesaid. transmitting -means from theoperating means when letting baclr the Work beam. f I

3. In a let-off mechanism for looms, the combination with a Warp beamprovided Witha gear, of transmitting means including` a shaftforpermitting 4the rotation of said Work beam, a gear loosely carried bysaid` shaft and adapted to mesh with the gear provided on the Warp beam,means for oierating lthe' aforesaid transmitting shaft, .and a Aclutchincluding a collar and Y a yieldable spring provided betvveenfsaidcollar and the aforesaid loosely mounted gear, said clutchV bei-ngengaged by said spring for permitting the rotation of the ivarpbeam whenmoved in one direction and disengaged byfa reverse movementof the Warpbeam. Y

4f. ln a let-off mechanism for looms, the combination'vvith a Warpbeamprovided with gear, of transmitting means including shaft vforpermitting the rotationof said Work beam, a gear loosely carried by said`shaft and adaptedl to mesh vvith the gear provided on the Warp beam,means for operating'said power transmitting shaft,'a clutch including" arelatively" fixed collar secured to the aforesaid shaft, 'a springinterposed between said collar and the aforesaid loosely mounted gearfor normall'yem the clutch and means for disengag- .ing the clutch whenthe Warp beam is moved back.

A 5.111 a let-off mechanism' for looms, the combination With Warn beamprovided with a gear, of transmitting means includ-L ing a shaft forpermitting the rotation of said Work beam, ,a gear loosely carried bysaid shaftV and adapted tomesh Withlthe gear provided on the Warp'beam,means Afor operating the aforesaid shaft, a clutch including arelatively iiXed collar secured to said shaft and having lugs extendingtherefrom, a movable clutch element provided with mating lugs adapted toengage'the aforesaid lugs, a spring interposed between the said collarand the aforesaid loosely mounted gear, for normally engaging theclutch, and means including mating clutch members provided on the saidmovable clutch element and the loosely mounted gear, respectively,whereby the clutch is automatieally disengaged upon the reversal of thewarp beam. Y

6. ln a let-olf mechanism for looms, the

combination with a warp beam provided with a gear, of transmitting meansincluding a shaft for permitting the rotation of the work beam, a gearloosely carried by said shaft and adapted to mesh with the gear providedon the warp beam, means for operating said shaft, a clutch for normallytransmitting movement from the power transmitting shaft to the warp beamand means Jor automatically disengaging the Clutch when letting back thewarp beam.

ln testimony whereof we aliix our signatures.

WILLIAM L. MAFFETT. JAMES C. GRAY.

